Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Louisville
No. 21 Cardinals Top Hoosiers, 2-0
3/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 7, 2006
Box Score
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana softball team fell short against the No. 21 Louisville Cardinals at the IU Softball Field on March 7, dropping its home opener 2-0. Junior center fielder Kim Richards, sophomore left fielder Julia Hamilton and freshman shortstop Stephanie Pellerito each notched a hit, while senior Megan Roark recorded seven strikeouts in the loss.
The loss dropped Indiana to 5-8-1 on the season, while Louisville improved to 13-2 overall.
"It is good to know that we can compete with such a high caliber team like Louisville," head coach Stacey Phillips said. "If we had played our game, we definitely could have turned this game around and perhaps have ended up on top."
Louisville notched its first run in the top of the second inning followed by an insurance run in the top of the fourth to record the victory.
In the bottom of the third, Hamilton reached second on a two-out single and a steal to give Indiana a chance to score. The Cardinals, however, survived the threat as Bogado grounded out to the shortstop to end the frame.
Despite the loss, it served as an early season confidence boost for the Indiana.
"I feel like we were right there with them," Richards said. "We just need to string it all together. We have to go out and attack strikes, have better pitch selection and all together make things happen on defense and offense."
Roark and senior pitcher Mariangee Bogado combined to strikeout 11 Cardinals and allow just five hits.
"Our pitchers came through today to keep us in the game throughout," Phillips said. "Defensively we were solid. We are a good team, but need to string more consistent at bats and just put it all together."
The Hoosiers return to the diamond on March 10-12 in Tallahassee, Fla., where they will face Tulsa, Troy State and Appalachian State at the Florida State Tournament.
